diff --git a/lib/prepare.js b/lib/prepare.js
index 0e85b005..cf9a369c 100644
--- a/lib/prepare.js
+++ b/lib/prepare.js
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ module.exports = async (pluginConfig, context) => {
     debug('commited files: %o', filesToCommit);
     await commit(
       message
-        ? template(message)({branch: branch.name, lastRelease, nextRelease})
+        ? template(message)({branch, lastRelease, nextRelease,})
         : `chore(release): ${nextRelease.version} [skip ci]\n\n${nextRelease.notes}`,
       {env, cwd}
     );